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Role of scribes, architects in Hindu civilization is a saga of unparalleled splendor in the history of civilizations.
Role of scribes, architects in Hindu civilization is a saga of unparalleled splendor in the history of civilizations.
Many scribes and silpi or sthapati are unnamed since the tradition was to venerate the supreme, humbling oneself in veneration. The contributions made by scribes and sculptors are cherished as pilgrimage sites, temples and monuments in all parts of Bharatam.
The scribes who created the catalogus catalogorum of Indus Script with ca. 7000 inscriptions and perhaps also many hieroglyphs in cuneiform inscriptions on cylinder seals of Ancient Near East from Meluhha colonies of the region, clearly followed the characteristics of orthographic rendering of hieroglyphs associated with Tvaṣṭṛ as Viśvákarma.
The metalworkers of the civilization viewed kole.l'smithy' as kole.l'temple. This tradition is traceable to the narratives related to Tvaṣṭṛ as Viśvákarma in the Vedic tradition, dating from the Rigveda.
Tvaṣṭṛ as Viśvákarma is a Rsi and a Silpi, designer of all the flying chariots of the gods, and all their weapons and divine attributes, creator of vajra (thunderbolt) missile for Indra from the bones of Dadhici. He is artisan, craftsman par excellence. (Coomaraswamy, Ananda K. (1979): Medieval Sinhalese Art, Pantheon Books Inc., New York., p.79). Kanya Sankranti after Ganesha Puja (ca. September) is a celebration of Viśvákarma.
Vishwakarma (or Visvakarma) community refer to themselves as the Viswabrahmin. The community comprises five sub-groups - carpenters, blacksmiths, bell metalworkers, goldsmiths and stonemasons - who believe that they are descendants of Vishwakarma. Lohars are also known as Vishwakarma, Sharma or Panchals.
Viśwákarma (Sanskrit: विश्वकर्मा "all-accomplishing, maker of all,""all doer"; Thai: Witsawakam ; Telugu: విశ్వకర్మ ; Kannada: ವಿಶ್ವಕರ್ಮ ; Tamil: (விசுவகர்மன்) Visuvakaruman ) is the personified Omnipotence and the abstract form of the creator God according to the Rigveda. He is the presiding deity of all craftsmen and architects. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishvakarman
Tarkhan (Old Turkic Tarqan; Mongolian: Darqan or Darkhan; Persian: ترخان; Chinese: 達干; Arabic: طرخان; alternative spellings Tarkan, Tarkhaan, Tarqan, Tarchan, Turxan, Tarcan or Turgan) is an ancient Central Asian title used by various Indo-European (i.e. Iranian and Tokharian) and Turco-Mongol peoples, especially in the medieval era, and prominent among the successors of the Mongol Empire. It is also the title given to a community commonly found in the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan. Who are traditionally carpenters by occupation. ( Choi, Han-Woo (Oct 2005), A Study of the Ancient Turkic "TARQAN", KR: Handong University) http://www.iacd.or.kr/pdf/journal/05/5-10.pdf In Kyrghyz's tale Manas, the word Tarqan means a 'blacksmith', a possible borrowing from Mongolian.
Viśvákarma as Lohar, smiths are called by different community names in Bharatam:
Entrance to Viśvákarma cave temple, Ellora Cave No. 10
Segments of the sculpture showing: 1. scribe; 2. stacks of straw asociated with epigraphs (incribed ovals atop the stacks) and the row of seated artisans. There are two hieroglyphs on these segments: 1. scribe; 2. straw-stacks. Both can be read as Meluhha hieroglyphs.
The scribe shown on Amaravati sculpture is kaṇḍa kanka 'stone scribe'. The gloss is reinforced by the hieroglyph: stack of straw: kaṇḍa (See Meluhha glosses from Indian sprachbund appended).
Maya is a Koliya, i.e. she is a kole, a community working in iron. kol ‘working in iron’ (Tamil).
Sivaramamurti, C., 1978, The painter in ancient India, Delhi, Abhinav Publications, p.5
An inscription on the Bharhut rail reads: "Buddharakhitasa riipakdrakasa ddnam", i.e. gift of Buddharakshita, the sculptor. Buddha Rakhitasa Rupakārakasa dānam." Gift of Buddha Rakshita, the sculptor."
- Here we have the name of one of the sculptors of the Bharhut bas-reliefs. http://www.jatland.com/home/Bharhut_inscriptions
The architect carries a garland in his left hand. The gloss is dāma a wreath or garland of fls. J i.397 (Pali); rebus: dhamma. The entire architecture of the Sanchi monuments is an offering, a puja by the sāṅgtarāś sangha. In his right hand is held ukkā; (dhamm -- okkā); ii.401; iv.291; v.322; Vism 428; ThA 287; DA i.148; DhA i.42, 205; PvA 154. Esp. as tiṇ˚ firebrand of dry grass M i.128, 365; Nd2 40Ie; DhA i.126; Sdhp 573. -- 2. a furnace or forge of a smith A i.210, 257; J vi.437. Rebus: he is dhammika (adj.) [=Sk. dharmya, cp. dhammiya] lawful, according to the Dh. or the rule; proper, fit, right; permitted, legitimate, justified; righteous, honourable, of good character, just, esp. an attr. of a righteous King (rājā cakkavattī dhammiko dhammarājā) D i.86; ii.16; A i.109=iii.149; J i.262, 263; def. by Bdhgh as "dhammaŋ caratī ti dh." (DA i.237) & "dhammena caratī ti dh., ñāyena samena pavattalī ti" (ib. 249). <-> Vin iv.284; D i.103; S ii.280 (dhammikā kathā); iii.240 (āhāra); iv.203 (dhammikā devā, adh˚ asurā); A i.75; iii.277; Sn 404; DhA ii.86 (dohaḷa); iv.185 (˚lābha); PvA 25 (=suddha, manohara). Also as saha -- dh˚ (esp. in conn. w. pañha, a justified, reasonable, proper question: D i.94; S iv.299 in detail) Vin iv.141; D i.161; iii.115; A i.174. -- a˚ unjust, illegal etc. Vin iv.285; S iv.203; A iii.243. (Source for the photograph: http://imagesvr.library.upenn.edu/a/aiis/thumb/A36-60.JPG)Associated with the dharma glyph which adorns the Sanchi torana is the śilpi, the architect of the poems in stone. What was he called? Hindi. संगतरा/श (nm) sāṅgtarāś a stone- cutter/carver/dresser; ~शी stone cutting/carving/dressing. He works with sang, 'stone'. His signature tune is the composite glyph: sang makara 'water-elephant, water-crocodile'; ligatured with a mollusc, sangi and puccha 'fish-tail', the sanghi performs puja with his exquisite architectural forms of the temple, kole.l, guḍi .
Sanchi northern gate architrave is adorned with a sculpture of the architect of the monument, together with a hieroglyph multiplex, the elaboration of s'rivatsa symbol of Hindu-Bauddha dharma-dhamma.
Sanchi torana architrave with a sculpture of the architect.
StateSurname
Bihar and Uttar PradeshVishwakarma, Sharma and Thakur
Andhra PradeshAchari, Chary, and Acharya
TamilnaduVishvabrahmins, Kamaalar, Aachari or Aasaari
MaharashtraDangre, Upankar, Mane, Ighe, Lohar, Koshe, Waghodekar, Kumbare, Panvalkar, Dhole, Pakhale. In Konkan Area Shemadkar, Katalkar, Gulekar, Shirvankar, Ghadi, Masurkar, Chapekar, Masurkar, Pomendkar
GujaratPanchal, Pitroda, Parmar, Pithva, Suthat, Mistry, Wadia, Gohil.
RajasthanSuthar and Jangid Brahmins
BengalKarmakar, Lohar, Raut, Majhi, Guli, Gulimajhi, Dandamajhi, Dalui, Sutar
OrissaMoharana, Mohapatra, Sutar, Sahu, Parida
Rigveda 10.166: A tribute to Viśvákarma as the armourer-warrior par excellence
10.166.01 Make me, Indra, (renowned like) a bull among my equals, victor over my rivals, the slayer of my enemies, a sovereign, a lord of cattle. [Like a bull: r.s.abham, a play upon the r.s.i's name].
10.166.02 I am the destroyer of my enemies, like Indra, unharmed and unwounded; may all these my foes be cast down under my feet.
10.166.03 I bind you here, like the two extremities of the bow the bowstring; restrain them, lord of speech, that they may speak humbly to me.
10.166.04 I have come triumphant with power, equal to any exploit; I seize upon minds, your pious observances, your prowess in war.
10.166.05 Seizing upon your goods and chattels, may I victorious; I walk upon your heads; cry aloud from beneath my feet, like frogs from (below) the water, like frogs from (below) the water.
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takṣakaṉ , n. < takṣaka. 1. A divine serpent. See தக்கன்². 2. Artificer, carpenter; தச்சன். mayaṉ , n. < Maya. 1. A Daitya, the architect of the Asuras; அசுரத்தச்சன். மயன் விதித்தன்ன மணிக்கா லமளிமிசை (சிலப். 2, 12). 2. Carpenter; தச்சன். (சூடா.) 3. Artificer, architect; சிற்பி. (W.)vittakaṉ , n. < vidagdha. 1. Skilful, able person; வல்லவன். வித்தகர் நேர் விட்ட கோழிப் புறங்கண்டும் (பு. வெ. 12, வென்றிப். 6). 2. Mysterious person; அதிசயத்தன்மை யுடை யவன். பத்துடையடியவர்க் கெளியவன் பிறர்களுக் கரிய வித்தகன் (திவ். திருவாய். 1, 3, 1). 3. Bhairava; வைரவன். (சூடா.) 4. Artificer; கம் மாளன். (திவா.) takṣaṇam तक्षणम् (तक्ष् भावे-ल्युट्] Paring, cutting; दारवाणां च तक्षणम् Ms.5.115; Y.1 185. -णी A carpenter's adze. takṣan तक्षन् m. [तक्ष्-कनिन्] 1 A carpenter, wood-cutter (whether by caste or profession); तक्षा रिष्टं रुतं भिषग् Rv.9.112.1; तक्षाणः पलगण्डाश्च ... Śiva. B.31.18; अताक्षा तक्षा K. P. 'one not a तक्षन् by caste is called तक्षन् when he acts like or follows the profession of a तक्षन् (carpenter); Śi.12.25. -2 N. of the architect of the gods. तक्षक [p= 431,3] m. ( Pa1n2. 8-2 , 29 Ka1s3. ) " a cutter "» काष्ठ- , वृक्ष-a carpenter L.विश्वकर्मन् L.the सूत्र-धार or speaker in the prelude of a drama L. Sch.of a नाग prince (cf. °क्ष) AV. viii , 10 , 29 Ta1n2d2yaBr. xxv , 15 S3a1n3khGr2. iv , 18 , 1 Kaus3. MBh. &c takṣ तक्ष् a. (At the end of comp.) Paring, cutting &c.; also तक्ष; Bṛi. S.87.2,24; also तक्षक q. v.; R.15.89.तक्षकः [तक्ष् ण्वुल्] 1 A carpenter, wood-cutter (whether by caste or profession). -2 The chief actor in the prelude of a drama (i. e. the सूत्रधार). -3 N. of the architect of the gods. -4 N. of one of the principal Nāgas or serpents of the Pātāla, son of Kaśyapa and Kadru (saved at the intercession of the sage Āstika from being burnt down in the serpent-sacrifice performed by king Janamejaya, in which many others of his race were burnt down to ashes).
10.166.02 I am the destroyer of my enemies, like Indra, unharmed and unwounded; may all these my foes be cast down under my feet.
10.166.03 I bind you here, like the two extremities of the bow the bowstring; restrain them, lord of speech, that they may speak humbly to me.
10.166.04 I have come triumphant with power, equal to any exploit; I seize upon minds, your pious observances, your prowess in war.
10.166.05 Seizing upon your goods and chattels, may I victorious; I walk upon your heads; cry aloud from beneath my feet, like frogs from (below) the water, like frogs from (below) the water.
Rigveda 10.81-82
10.081.01 The r.s.i, the hota_, our father who offering all these worlds has taken his seat; desiring wealth by pious benedictions, the first inventor has entered inferior (beinggs). [Offering all these worlds: i.e., destroying at the pral.aya, or dissolution of the world (Yajus. 17.17); asi_dat = had stopped, or has sat down in Agni. The 'wealth' desired by Vis'vakarma_ is heaven, which is to be obtained by hymns and the like. a_s'is.a_ = by the wish to become many; or, by the desire to create again and again; prathamacchad = assuming the principal form, or first investing, Agni with the worlds; Parames'vara is intended: a_tma_ va_ idam eka eva_gra a_si_t: Aitareya Bra_hman.a 2.4.1; Nirukta, 10.26: Vis'vakarman was at a sarvamedha, or universal sacrifice; he offered up all the worlds, and last of all offered up himself in sacrifice. The first line of the r.ca is a reference to the destuction of all things; the second line of the r.ca refers to their re-creation].
10.081.02 What was the station? What was the material? How was (it done)? So that the beholder of all, Vis'vakarman (was) generating and disclosed heaven by his might. [In the first r.ca, it is said that after the pral.aya, the creator made all things anew. In this r.ca, it is now asked: where was the scene of action, what were the materials, and how was thw work performed? In this world, a potter must have his shop, his clay, his wheel; so what does Is'vara have for site, matter and implements? The answer is negative. Is'vara does not need anything of this kjind. tatsr.s.t.va_ tadeva_nupra_vis'at: Taittiri_ya A_ran.yaka 8.6].
10.081.03 Having eyes everywhere, and having a face everywhere, having arms everywhere, and having feet everywhere, he traverses (heaven) with his arms, (earth) with his swift-moving (feet), and exists a god without companion generating heaven and earth. [Traverses: sam dhamati = he blows together, or inflates; a metaphor to denote the work of creation].
10.081.04 Which was the forest, which the tree, from which they fabricated heaven and earth? Inquire, sages, in your minds what (place) he was stationed in when holding the worlds. [They: i.e., the makers of the world, directed by Parames'vara].
10.081.05 Grant to your friends, Vis'vakarman, at the oblation, your best, your worst and your intermediate forms, and to these do you yourself, possessor of the oblation, becoming augmented in person (by oblations), offer worship. [Your best...forms: The best forms are the bodies of the gods, etc.; the intermediate forms are the bodies of men, etc.; the inferior forms are the bodies of worms, etc. Vis'vakarman, the creator is mixed up with Vis'vakarman, as Tvas.t.a_ or Agni. It means that man is incompetent to worship the creator, that is, in his forms, and it must be done by himself].
10.081.06 VIs'vakarman, magnified by the oblation, do you of yourself worship earth and heaven; let other men (who offer no oblations) be everywhere confounded; may he, rich in oblations, be the granter of heaven at this our (sacrifice). [Magnified by oblation: or, by me, Vis'vakarman, becoming an oblation. In the previous r.ca., havis.a_ = at the oblation = when I am made an oblation; cf. Nirukta10.27; Yajus. 17.22; su_rih = prajn~a_ta, knowing; or, may Indra be our adviser].
10.081.07 Let us this day invoke for our protection the lord of speech, the creator of all, who is swift as thought; may he, the bestower of all happiness, the doer of good works, be propitiated by all our oblations, (so as) to grant us his protection. [Lord of speech: all the epithets apply to Indra; Yajus. 8.45; 17.23].
10.082.01 The maker of the senses, resolute in mind, engendered the water, (and then) these two (heaven and earth) floating (on the waters); when those ancient boundaries were fixed, then the heaven and earth were expanded. [The maker of the senses: lit., the father of the eye; manasa_ dhi_rah = reflecting that there was no one equal to himself; a_po va_ idam agre; a_pa eva sasarja_dau: Taittiri_ya Sam.hita_ 7.1.5.1; Manu 1.8].
10.082.02 Vis'vakarman, of comprehensive mind and manifold greatness, is all-pervading, the creator, the arranger and the supreme supervisor; him in whom the desires of their (senses) are satisfied with food, they call (him) supreme beyond the seven r.s.is. [The devata_: is Prama_tma_ or A_ditya, the sun; cf. Nirukta 10.26. The second line of the r.ca: him in whom they delight their forms (or places) with water, him, those who are skille din mantras call the A_ditya single, superior to the seven r.s.is; or, the wise make the seven r.s.is one with Vis'vakarman; Nirukta notes that at the universal sacrifice Vis'vakarman Bhauvana offered up all beings and then himself].
10.082.03 He who is our preserver, our parent, the creator (of all), who knows our abodes (and knows) all beings, who is the name-giver of the gods-- he is one; other beings come to him to inquire. [i.e., to ask, 'who is the supreme lord?' or, they ask, what their offices are, and he appoints them their several functions].
10.082.04 Those ancient R.s.is who adorned (with light) these beings in the animate and inanimate world, offer to him wealth (of sacrifice) as praisers with abundant (laudation).
10.082.05 What was that embryo which was beyond the heaven, beyond this earth, beyond the gods, beyond the asuras, which the waters first retained, in which all the gods contemplated each other?
10.082.06 The waters verily first retained the embryo in which all the gods were aggregated, single deposited on the navel of the unborn (creator), in which all beings abide. [The embryo is Vis'vakarman. arpitam an.d.am = mundane egg; or, bi_jam].
10.082.07 You know not him who has generated these (beings); (his life) is another, different from yours; wrapped in fog, and foolish speech (do they) wander (who are) gluttonous and engaged in devotion. [Sa_yan.a: "The assertion that we know Vis'vakarman in the same way as men say, 'I am devadatta, I am yajn~adatta', is false, for the essence (tattva) of Vis'vakarman Parames'vara is not endowed with conscious individual existence, but he is a different entity from you who are sentient beings, who have individual consciousness, and so forth". Wrapped in foolish speech: jalpya_: i.e., saying I am god, I am man etc.; ukthas'a_sah = singing hymns with a view to gaining felicity in a future state: you are merely anxious for enjoyment in this world and in the next, therefore you know nothing of Vis'vakarman; or, you who are engaged in enjoyment of this world or the next, being subject to false knowledge or ignorance, have no knowledge of the Truth].
10.082.02 Vis'vakarman, of comprehensive mind and manifold greatness, is all-pervading, the creator, the arranger and the supreme supervisor; him in whom the desires of their (senses) are satisfied with food, they call (him) supreme beyond the seven r.s.is. [The devata_: is Prama_tma_ or A_ditya, the sun; cf. Nirukta 10.26. The second line of the r.ca: him in whom they delight their forms (or places) with water, him, those who are skille din mantras call the A_ditya single, superior to the seven r.s.is; or, the wise make the seven r.s.is one with Vis'vakarman; Nirukta notes that at the universal sacrifice Vis'vakarman Bhauvana offered up all beings and then himself].
10.082.03 He who is our preserver, our parent, the creator (of all), who knows our abodes (and knows) all beings, who is the name-giver of the gods-- he is one; other beings come to him to inquire. [i.e., to ask, 'who is the supreme lord?' or, they ask, what their offices are, and he appoints them their several functions].
10.082.04 Those ancient R.s.is who adorned (with light) these beings in the animate and inanimate world, offer to him wealth (of sacrifice) as praisers with abundant (laudation).
10.082.05 What was that embryo which was beyond the heaven, beyond this earth, beyond the gods, beyond the asuras, which the waters first retained, in which all the gods contemplated each other?
10.082.06 The waters verily first retained the embryo in which all the gods were aggregated, single deposited on the navel of the unborn (creator), in which all beings abide. [The embryo is Vis'vakarman. arpitam an.d.am = mundane egg; or, bi_jam].
10.082.07 You know not him who has generated these (beings); (his life) is another, different from yours; wrapped in fog, and foolish speech (do they) wander (who are) gluttonous and engaged in devotion. [Sa_yan.a: "The assertion that we know Vis'vakarman in the same way as men say, 'I am devadatta, I am yajn~adatta', is false, for the essence (tattva) of Vis'vakarman Parames'vara is not endowed with conscious individual existence, but he is a different entity from you who are sentient beings, who have individual consciousness, and so forth". Wrapped in foolish speech: jalpya_: i.e., saying I am god, I am man etc.; ukthas'a_sah = singing hymns with a view to gaining felicity in a future state: you are merely anxious for enjoyment in this world and in the next, therefore you know nothing of Vis'vakarman; or, you who are engaged in enjoyment of this world or the next, being subject to false knowledge or ignorance, have no knowledge of the Truth].
Sukla Yajurveda Prapathaka: vii. 1. 5.
This was in the beginning the waters, the ocean.
In it Prajapati becoming the wind moved.
He saw her, and becoming a boar he seized her.
Her, becoming Visvakarma, he wiped.
She extended, she became the earth, and hence the earth is called the earth (lit.
the extended
In her Prajapati made effort.
He produced the gods, Vasus, Rudras, and Adityas.
In it Prajapati becoming the wind moved.
He saw her, and becoming a boar he seized her.
Her, becoming Visvakarma, he wiped.
She extended, she became the earth, and hence the earth is called the earth (lit.
the extended
In her Prajapati made effort.
He produced the gods, Vasus, Rudras, and Adityas.